Chairman Pai circulated an Order repealing the 1975 ban on cross-ownership between a broadcast television or radio station and a newspaper in the same market during today’s House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology FCC Oversight Hearing. The Order will be voted on at the FCC’s November 16 Open Meeting.

“On behalf of my 2,000 member news organizations, I applaud FCC Chairman Pai’s leadership in circulating an Order to repeal the 42-year-old ban on broadcaster and newspaper cross-ownership. Outdated regulations preventing investment in one sector of the media market do not make sense, particularly when newspapers compete with countless sources of news and information every day. The news media industry must have economies of scale to compete in today’s marketplace and to reinvest in reporters and newsgathering operations that maintain an informed democracy and a functioning society.”

David Chavern serves as President & CEO of the News Media Alliance. Chavern has built a career spanning 30 years in executive strategic and operational roles, and most recently completed a decade-long tenure at the United States Chamber of Commerce.